“It is usual for the defeated to treat the other side.”
“Yes, adding insult to injury. We shall welcome the opportunity to entertain you!”
“How generous. Don’t you hope it will be fine weather?”
“We’ll have to put it off if it isn’t.”
But the day of the race was ideal. Never crews wore prettier bathing suits, ready for any experience like that of the junior and senior academy crews. Each canoe floated a little streamer of class colors and the crews were in the best of spirits. The Greycliff side of the river bank was lined with girls, spectators of this contest, so long prepared for, so soon over. Cathalina, Helen, Betty and Juliet selected a high point from which they declared they could see nearly the whole course, at least the finish.
“Which do you think has the better chance, Juliet?” asked Helen.
“Oh, ours, of course,” replied Juliet. “Our girls are so much more experienced. They have not had as much practice as I had hoped they might. Several times, when Pauline thought she had them all together, one or the other would have arranged to practice something or have some appointment with a teacher. But they do row beautifully together. It seemed almost perfect the last time I watched them.”
“O, of course, we’ll win,” said Betty.
Cathalina remained silent, considering the affair, as Cathalina was apt to do.
“You haven’t said a word, Cathalina,” said Betty. “Don’t you think we are going to win?”